Beneath the Apple Trees
by H.iddennova
Summary: Edith was on vacation when the Apocalypse hit and without a way home, she's forced to survive a world where her biggest fears come true. Eventual Daryl/OC. Rated T for now.


**Well here we go with my Walking Dead Fanfic :)**

* * *

**1 Week after the outbreak…**

Edith Van Riemsdyk wasn't one to notice things often. She was just another person ignoring their surroundings, but today she was inclined to study her surroundings, a gut feeling telling her something was terribly wrong.

As she walked down the road she notices two people, one lying down and the other hovering above and on closer inspection it's not looking like CPR of any sort. She's disgusted to discover that the person above isn't helping the other but instead eating the contents of the stomach.

Bile rises steadily in her throat but she manages to keep it down as she begins to turn away quietly only to kick a bottle can beside her.

When Edith turns around the thing is staring at her, half ruined face and blood cake down its jaw and throat. It gets up, slowly but surely and begins its limping walk towards her and Edith can't find it herself to move or even run. She's petrified.

The thing is approaching her further and Edith's will to move is diminishing.

A shot rings out, flying pass her and into the skull of the body before her and she flinches out of the unmoving stated, taking steps back from the dead body.

"Are you just going to stand there or would you rather get eaten?"

She turns in shock, narrowing her eyes upon a man in his early thirties, "You just killed a person," she answered terrified.

"A Walker," he countered, poking the end of his rifle at the body's face, "It's not even alive anymore. See the flesh, it's rotting."

Edith was confused, the things he was saying wasn't making connections, "You can't be telling me the dead is walking. Are you sure this person just didn't have a mental disorder or was on drugs or even both?"

"Look," he muttered just a few more of the so called walking dead walked began walking past the street they stood on.

She studied, watching as they slouched over and walked oddly, limping and dragging their feet upon the ground. Edith shook her head, unsure of what to say, "Why did I decide a vacation to the US was a bright Idea?"

"C'mon, I have a safe house not too far from here."

At first she was hesitant to follow but soon shook it off telling herself she'd rather be alive and with another living person, then avoid these _Walkers_.

They approached a two story house from the fenced in backyard. The man locked the gate behind them quietly, heading to the backdoor next, "There are 3 bedrooms here, if you decided you'd like to stay awhile, while this all blows over. Hopefully the Military has this sorted out in another week or two." He closed the door firmly behind her, locking it in place, "Don't be afraid to make yourself at home. I have the front door and all the downstairs windows boarded up."

She looked at the pictures upon the wall, confirming it was the man's house.

"Coffee? Uh I never got your name," He asked.

"Oh sorry Edith, my name's Edith and Yes to coffee," she answered, still looking at the picture on the walls.

"I'm Mark."

A family picture caught her eye. A picture of a Mark, his wife and their son, "You have a family?"

"I had one."

She grimaced internally, feeling she hit an emotional spot, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Aden, my son died a few years ago due to complication with his heart. Not long after my wife got up and left. She couldn't handle the loss. I haven't seen her since."

Silence fell between them and Edith decided that she no longer wanted to look at the pictures on the wall; instead she took a seat at the kitchen table.

* * *

**1 Month later… **

"Every day there seems to be more and more Walkers moving into the town. Don't you think we should pack up and leave? Maybe head to that safe zone they spoke of on the radio?" Edith was beginning to worry as she looked out the window on the second floor hallway. She watched as the Walkers staggered by on the streets.

Mark shook his head, "That doesn't seem like a very bright idea. Heading further into the city of Atlanta is a huge risk. There are probably more of those things then there are here."

She nodded, "Why not move further out into a rural area? We take your car and leave."

"We are going to need to stock up on supplies if we do decide to leave. We are going to need lots of canned food and water. Blankets. Clothes."

"Considering we don't have any neighbors anymore, we could try and loot the houses around us for more items and the bed and breakfast I stayed at before this outbreak."

"We have work to do ahead of us,"

* * *

**2 Months later… **

Edith could hear the moaning and groaning outside the garage door and she was frightened.

After Mark had looted the house for the necessities they needed, Edith decided It was best for herself to stay back in the house as she had no prior fighting training of any sort. Instead she was given a walkie talkie to keep in contact with Mark just in case something had gone wrong.

She kept herself occupied with stocking the vehicle in the garage up with their finds and preparing for their leave.

Right now however was the moment before they would leave, after Mark had set off the neighbouring house alarm and then the Walkers following him around the house. They were beginning to break their way past the boarded windows, banging furiously at the garage door in attempts to eat them.

"Get in the car now!" Mark had yelled at her, just as the garage doors opened. Edith had quickly obliged, closing the car door and then locking it.

With a quick start of the engine and more locking procedures they pushed their way past the herd of the undead in a steady role.

Edith cringed as she walked the Walkers trying to grab for them through the glass, "There's so many of them," she whispered, gasping when she noticed the B&B owner's wife, dead and decayed, "The military isn't coming are they?..."

"No, I think it's just us now."

* * *

**2 Months 2 days later…**

"Why don't we stop here at the pit stop, get some food and hopefully gas," Edith offered, pointing off to the side of the road, "It looks safe enough."

Marc looked at the gas meter with a grimace, "Yeah the vehicle's going to need gas for sure or we'll be walking sooner than later. Gas pumps won't work however but I'm betting we could achieve some by taking it out of the cars over there." He pulled up slowly, observing for any movement and when he was sure there was no Walkers coming around, he began to take the gas out with some tubing he found in his trunk.

Edith had slowly made her way out of the vehicle as well, looking off across the road where in the huge field, staggered lifeless bodies. None of which headed in their direction.

After a while she found herself back in the vehicle all the while Marc explained to her that he was to head inside the store and see what he could pick up, "Do you want to come in with me?"

"I think I'll stay here," she murmured. The car was her current safe haven, even after two months she still wasn't use to this dead people walking situation. It all seemed too surreal to her.

Suddenly there was some crashing coming from inside the store and then Marc tumbled out the front door, supplies in hand, hurrying towards the vehicle, "I got what I could get¸ turns out most the store's been looted."

"What was all the crashing about?" Edith mentioned and Marc facial expression changed.

"Oh yeah, I hit one of those post card racks on the way out," he started the engine before continuing on and then looked back at her, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Edith gave him a small smile before looking out at the road again.

* * *

**Few hours later…**

"You're not looking too good, Marc. Maybe I should drive?"

Marc pulled the car over to the shoulder getting out while Edith climbed over the center console and into the driver's seat. When they were both settled into position she continued their drive. Marc had moved his chair back and lounged comfortably.

"I'm going to sleep; hopefully I'll feel better later to continue driving."

Edith nodded.

* * *

**1 Hour later…**

Edith heard him wake; breathing erratic and irregular and she looked over towards him. With a gasp she swerved, stopping short of the ditch and turning off the car in one fluid motion, "Marc?" His face was sunken in, flesh stretched in most places.

His mouth began moving in a weird way and at that moment as her heart pump blood into her ears, she noticed the bite mark upon his arm for the first time.

Then his eyes opened.


End file.
